Self-scoring target.



M. ST. 0'. ELLIS.

SELF SCORING TARGET. APPLICATION FILED 1111.21, 1911.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.v

- 1 i a I WITNESSES:

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

MARK ST. CLAIR ELLIS, OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

SELF-SCQEING TARGET.

Application filed January 21, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MARK ST. CLAIR ELLIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, lieutenant commander of the United States Navy, stationed at theUnited States Naval Magazine, Mare Island, California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Self- Scoring Targets; and 1 dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in targets in which marking at thepits by persons is done away with.

My target is an electro-mechanical target adapted for small-arms targetpractice, and my object is to enable the firer to stand at the firingpoint and conduct his target practice alone, having the spot which hehits on the target shown up to him on an annunciator which is locatedconveniently at his side, whereas the target at which the firer aims maybe at a great distance from the firing point. Furthermore, the markingwill be instantaneous, and the errors in marking introduced by theordinary methods obviated. I attain these objects by the mecha nismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows afront elevation of the target with the annunciator, battery, and cableattached. Fig. 2 shows a vertical central sectional view of an improvedadjustable contact maker, Fig. 3 is a detail view of the shuttle andshuttle holder hereinafter referred to and Fig. 4 shows an elevationaldetail view of a designating plate together with the means employed ofsecuring it to the front shuttleboard bulk-head.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings attached hereto, the invention will bedescribed with reference to its use with the regulation United StatesArmy A target.

The action of my target is positive, and consists of the followingmembers, viz: (a) An electrical annunciator shown at A in Fig. 1, whichI prefer to have constructed in minature of the target face itself. (6)A. battery shown at B in Fig. 1, which is preferably of the storagebattery type of about 20 volts. (0) A cable C extending between theannunciator and the contact makers of the target itself. ((1) The targetSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. El, 1915.

Serial No. 603,980.

face H shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at which the firer aims, and theelectro-mechanical target, details of which are shown in Figs. 2, 3 and4:.

The electromechanical features of my invention consists of the followingmembers. reference being had to Fig. 2: F is a firm foundation uponwhich the structure is based, C is a bracket or frame for holding thepaper target H. Mounted back of H and securely upon the bedplate F, isthe front holding bulkhead E, which is preferably made of 9 steel platereinforced by distance pieces 7. The object of these distance pieces isto prevent vibration in E and to fill in the space between the planes ofthe Nos. 5 and 3 sections, enabling the same size of spring holder to beused for each and every designating plate if so desired. On this frontbulkhead E are secured suitable strong springs 6, to which thedesignating plates P are secured. These designating plates P are madefrom hard steel or armor plate, and are cut into segments of the sizeand shape of the part of the target which they are intended torepresent.

The United States Army A target as is well known, is divided up intoportions having the count of five, four, three and two; the number fivecount being the cen ter of the target. Mounted in the front bulkhead arethe contact shuttle holders 8, secured by the nuts 12 shown in Fig. 3,and the shuttles are held in contact with the rear face of thedesignating plates P by the spring 10. Mounted on the bed-plate F inrear of the front bulkhead E is the board D for holding the adjustingshuttles. This consists of wood or asbestosboard or other suitablematerial. This shuttle board D holds the adjusting contact makers shownin detail in Fig. 3, and in which 13 is a bolt with enlarged head heldin battery by the spring 9, and secured to D by the holder 14:.Adjustment of this contact maker is obtained by means of the nuts 18which limit the movement of 13 to the front. Also attached to theadjusting shuttles are the wires 15 of the cable C.

Having thus described the various members, the action of the target isas follows The firer at the firing point aims at the paper target H andassuming that he hits a portion of said target having a count forexample number 5, the projectile will pass through the paper screen andimpinge upon P at some point as shown in Fig. 2 on the designating platenumbered 5. This designating plate withstands the projectile, breakingit to pieces, but the blow imparted to the designating plate by theprojectile is taken up by the spring 6, and as the front shuttle llrests against the rear face of the designating plate number 55, motionwill also be imparted to it. It will therefore move backward against theaction of the spring 10 and through the shuttle holder 8 until ittouches the rear shuttle 13, whereupon the electrical circuit iscompleted and the annunciator numbered 5 will indicate that a number 5has been struck. Each segment or designating plate is individually wiredto the annunciator, and the common return wire is attached to the frontbulkhead E so that with any one of the shuttles ll impinging upon itsown adjusting shuttle 13, the electrical circuit is closed and theannunciator indicates the segment struck. The front shuttle 11 not onlyenables a prolonged electrical contact to be made, but also tends tocheck vibration in the designating plate upon which it abuts.Arrangement is made for adjustment of the rear shuttle 13 so as toobtain a proper distance between the front face of the adjusting shuttlel3 and the rear end of the shuttle 11, to the end that the electricalcircuit will be certainly closed when the designating plate is struck;and yet that the circuit may not be closed by the vibration set up whena neighboring designating plate is struck. The action above describedwhen the number 5 is struck by the bullet is similar to that of thenumber 4:, number 3 and number 2. The shuttle 13 is not only capable ofadjustment, but it also enables a prolonged electrical contact to bemade by following up the front shuttle 11 on its return to battery.

In Fig. 4: I show details of the method of mounting one of thedesignating plates P on the bulkhead E. This method is exceedinglysimple as the designating plate P is securely bolted to the bent spring6 by the bolts 16, and the bent spring 6 is substantially bolted to thebulkhead E by the through bolts 17.

\Vhile I have described my invention for use with the United States ArmyA target, I wish it distinctly understood that I do .not limit its useto the Army A target, as it is equally adaptable to every type of UnitedStates Army and Navy regulation small-arm targets, and variations ofthis principle may even be adaptable for great gun targets.

springs, yieldingly supporting the same a steel shuttle board withinsulated contact making shuttles mounted therein for closing theelectric circuit and actuating the annunciator when a portion of thetarget is hit, said 55 shaped springs being attached to the steelshuttle board substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

'MARK ST. CLAIR ELLIS.

WVitnesses S. A. DoUGH'rY, R. P. Frrz GERALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 1.

